Garment press



1970 E. A. VINCENT 3,522,671

GARMENT PRESS Filed Aug. 9. 1968 3,522,671 GARMENT PRESS Etta A. Vincent, Rte. 1, Box 119, Loma, Colo. 81524 Filed Aug. 9, 19 8, Ser. No. 751,487 Int. Cl. D06f 71/08 "(1.5. Cl. 3836 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An improved pressing machine for the pressing of garments, the device including a frame supporting a lower press or buck over which a heating unit or head is pivotable between a pressing and a non-pressing position, the head having one end of a cord secured thereto, the opposite end of the cord extending over a pulley and having a counter-weight secured to the terminal end thereof so as to counter-balance the weight of the head.

This invention relates generally to pressing machines for garments.

A principal object of this invention is to provide an improved pressing machine for garments which includes a heated head that is counter-balanced by a weight.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved pressing machine for garments wherein the head has one end of a cord secured thereto, the opposite end of the cord extending around a pulley and having a counterweight secured to the terminal end thereof.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved pressing machine for garments wherein the head is brought downwardly into the pressing operation by means of a foot pedal which operates through a pair of tension springs which are connected to pivotable levers that bring the head down against the lower press or buck.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide a press which is simple in design, inexpensive to manu facture, rugged in construction, easy to use and efficient in operation.

These and other objects will be readily evident upon a study of the following specification and the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of the present invention shown in operative use; and

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view thereof.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, the reference numeral 10 represents a press, according to the present invention, wherein there is a frame 11 which supports the mechanism of the present invention.

A buck 12 is stationarily mounted upon the frame, the buck having a cross-sectionally convex upper face 13 which engages a complementary concave lower surface 14 of the heating unit 15. The head 15 is supported by a pair of levers 16 which are pivotable about pins 18 stationarily mounted upon brackets 17 of the frame 11. The frame 11 includes a pair of vertically upstanding bars 19 between which a shaft 20 is connected, the shaft 20 supporting a rotatably free pulley 21 over which there is passed a cord 22 which is connected at one end to a bracket 23 secured upon the upper side of the heating unit 15, the opposite end of the cord being secured to a depending counter weight 24.

Each of the levers 16 is provided with an opening 25 located intermediate its opposite ends, the opening 25 being engaged by one end of a tension coil spring 26, the opposite end of each of the coil springs 26 being secured to opposite ends of a bar 27 extending horizontally therebetween.

A foot lever 28 is secured pivotally free at one end about a bar 29 connected between the lower ends of the posts or bars 19, the foot lever at its opposite end hav- United tes Patent ice ward by an operators foot 31. Intermediate the oppositeends of the foot lever-28, the bar 27 is received therethrough, whereby downward movement of the foot pedal 30 will cause the foot lever 28 to pivot about the bar 29, and thus cause the bar 27 to be vertically moved.

Thus in operative use, when the bar 27 is vertically moved, the tension coil springs 26 thus cause the levers 16 to pivot downwardly, thus bringing the head 15 against the the upper side of the buck so to press a garment. When the foot 31 is removed from the foot pedal 30, the counter-weight 24 will cause the head to pivot upwardly, thus eliminating effort for the workman to raise the heating unit manually. It' is to be noted that the head is provided with a pair of handles 32 along the front edge thereof for manual control during an ironing operation.

As will now be apparent, weight24 is sufficient to normally retain the head in its upwardly open position at which time springs 26 are normally relaxed. When pedal 30 is depressed, however, springs 26 are tensioned, overcoming the urge of weight 24, moving the head onto the buck with a resilient pressure, depending upon the tensioning of springs 26. It will also be apparent that links 16 may move independent of each other, permitting the head to float relative to the buck so that the pressing surfaces may come into full facial engagement with uniform pressure between same, It will further be apparent that since links 16 are pivoted to the head at points laterally inward from the point of aflixation of cord 22 to bracket 23, the force on the cord produces a moment about such link ends rotatingthe head to better facilitate access to the space between the buck and head.

While various changes may be made in the detailed construction, it is understood that such changes will be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as is defined by the appended claims.

I claim: Z

1. Garment pressing apparatus, comprising:

(a) a frame,

(b) an elongated buck rigidly secured to the frame having an upper garment pressing surface supported in a substantially immovable position relative to the frame,

(c) an elongated pressing head having a lower pressing surface substantially coextensive with the pressing surface of the buck and engageable with same,

(d) a flexible cord or the, like having one end atfixed to the head at substantially a mid-point between its ends,

(e) said cord being trained about a roller carried by the frame and having a weight secured to its other end sufficient to lift the head to a position above the buck,

(f) a pair of like head links for guiding the movement of the head, each link being disposed in a longitiudinal direction substantially the same distance from said mid-point,

(g) each link being pivoted, at one end to the head and at its other end to the frame, each being movable relative to the other,

(h) the construction being such that the pressing surface of the head may orient itself to conform to the pressing surface of the buck in both transverse and longitudinal directions of the pressing surfaces to thereby effect full and uniform contact between said surfaces,

(i) a foot pedal pivotally secured to the frame, and

(l) a pair of like resilient link members, each having one end connected to a head link and its other end to means movable with the foot pedal, said means adapted to apply substantially the same force to the link members upon downward movement of the pedal and lower the head against the urge of its weight, and thereby apply substantially uniform resilient pressure between the pressing surfaces.

2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein the link members are extension springs, each having one end connected to said means and its other end to a head link between its pivoted ends.

3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said head links are pivoted to the head at a longitudinal axis displaced transversely inwardly from the point of affixation of the flexible cord, whereby the flexible member exerts a moment on the head about the ends of the links affixed to same, for tilting it about said ends when the weight lifts the head, to thereby facilitate access to the space between the head and buck.

4. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said roller is supported for rotation by the frame at a point above and rearwardly of the head, the cord extending angularly and upwardly to same from the head.

5. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said buck is supported intermediate its ends above the frame in such manner to provide overhanging cantilevered portions at each side of its support, to thereby permit a portion of a garment to be disposed therebeneath.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,180,103 11/1939 Engbrecht et al. 38-36 2,198,620 4/1940 Irvine 3816 X 2,350,153 5/1944 Davis 383 6 MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner 

